It happens every year at about this time. A bunch of plastic pots of dirt start creeping up the stairs from their dark winter home in the basement and taking over every square inch of counter space in my kitchen.
It's begonia take over time. I love all kinds of begonias but B. boliviensis and tuberous begonias are my favorites. Although in a mild year, if they don't get too wet, they may return for a second year if planted in the ground. Our springs are a little too cold to get them going very early so even if they make it through the winter, they won't have time to bloom in subsequent years.
So, I grow them in plastic pots, some of which get dug into the ground for the summer while others get plopped inside decorative ceramic pots. They are such agreeable plants that all I have to do in the fall is cut them back, throw them in the cool dark basement and wait to see signs of new growth in late winter.
We have a small kitchen with little counter space. Thank goodness I've an understanding partner who tolerates the one square foot of counter space we have available for a couple months a year. For me, it's worth this sacrifice to have begonias like
these from June to November.
For the time being we've been taken over by begonias and there are many more in the basement waiting to come up. The pot stacking gets somewhat comical as time progresses. Maybe it's time to think of buying a grow light for the basement. Nah. What would we do with counter space anyway?
Do you have plants taking over your house this spring? (Yea! Spring!)
